Structured wiring box

• US 20060191697A1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Bolleyer, Jens, Cardenas, Herman, Wilson, Jeffrey, Patin, Kevin, Maxwell, Randolph, Marvin, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/488,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20060191697A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 174/50
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/081 Bases, casings or covers
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/121 in plain walls

Abstract

An expandable structured wiring box (100) for managing and organizing wiring for household communications systems is disclosed. An adaptive trim ring (202) is provided for increasing internal space to allow for additional internal components. The trim ring (202) also hinges wall edges (208A, 208B) caused during installation of the box (100).

Claims

1. A box for containing wiring and electrical components and comprising:

a housing having a plurality of closed side panels and a front opening to define an open-faced housing chamber, said housing adapted for installation within a hole in the face of a wall such that said front opening is substantially coplanar with the face of the wall;

an openable cover adapted for selectively covering and uncovering said front opening; and

a removable annular extension ring surrounding said front opening and substantially completely disposed between said front opening and said openable cover, said ring and said cover shaped and arranged to define an extension chamber communicating with said housing chamber wherein said housing chamber and extension chamber cooperate to provide a storage chamber for containing the wiring and electrical components and said openable cover allows selective access to said storage chamber.

2. A box as in claim 1 wherein said extension ring comprises a flange extending outwardly from said side panels along the plane of the face of the wall, and is thereby adapted to cover the hole in the face of the wall.

3. A box as in claim 1 wherein said housing has a back panel and wherein said front opening and back panel are parallel, and said plurality of side panels is four and comprises parallel right and left panels and parallel top and bottom panels arranged orthogonally with said parallel front opening and back panel such that said housing and said housing chamber are cubic.

4. A box as in claim 3 wherein at least one of said top and bottom panels comprises at least one access port for allowing the entrance and exit of wiring to and from said housing chamber.

5. A box as in claim 4 wherein said parallel left and right panels are slightly less than sixteen inches apart.

6. A box as in claim 5 wherein said extension ring comprises a flange extending outwardly from said side panels along the plane of the face of the wall, and is thereby adapted to cover the hole in the face of the wall.

7. A box as in claim 1 wherein said openable cover is connected to said ring by and openable about at least one hinge.

8. A box as in claim 7 wherein said extension ring comprises a flange extending outwardly from said side panels along the plane of the face of the wall, and is thereby adapted to cover the hole in the face of the wall.

9. A box as in claim 7 wherein said housing has a back panel and wherein said front opening and back panel are parallel, and said plurality of side panels is four and comprises parallel right and left panels and parallel top and bottom panels arranged orthogonally with said parallel front opening and back panel such that said housing and said housing chamber are cubic.

10. A box as in claim 9 wherein at least one of said top and bottom panels comprises at least one access port for allowing the entrance and exit of wiring to and from said housing chamber.

11. A box as in claim 10 wherein said parallel left and right panels are slightly less than sixteen inches apart.

12. A box as in claim 11 wherein said extension ring comprises a flange extending outwardly from said side panels along the plane of the face of the wall, and is thereby adapted to cover the hole in the face of the wall.

13. A box as in claim 7 wherein each of said at least one hinge comprises a cover portion affixed to said cover and a ring portion affixed to said ring and adapted to mate pivotally with said cover portion to allow said covering and uncovering of said open front panel.

14. A box as in claim 8 wherein said cover portion and said ring portion are separable and thereby adapted to allow separation of said cover from said ring.

15. A box as in claim 14 wherein said extension ring comprises a flange extending outwardly from said side panels along the plane of the face of the wall, and is thereby adapted to cover the hole in the face of the wall.

16. A box as in claim 15 wherein said housing has a back panel and wherein said front opening and back panel are parallel, and said plurality of side panels is four and comprises parallel right and left panels and parallel top and bottom panels arranged orthogonally with said parallel front opening and back panel such that said housing and said housing chamber are cubic.

17. A box for containing electrical components and wiring and comprising:

a housing adapted for mounting within a hole extending inwardly from an opening in a planar outer surface of a wall, said housing defining a storage chamber accessible through said opening and comprising side walls for extending into the hole and having outer edges adjacent to a perimeter of the opening;

a removable ring extending outwardly from said outer edges and arranged to cover the perimeter of the opening, said ring disposed substantially completely externally of said storage chamber; and

a cover pivotally mounted on said ring and movable between a closed position covering said storage chamber and an open position providing access thereof;

said cover in said closed position having an inner surface substantially parallel to said planar outer surface and spaced outwardly therefrom so as to define therebetween an extension chamber superimposed over said storage chamber.

18. A box as in claim 17 wherein said cover is pivotally connected to said ring by at least one hinge.

19. A box as in claim 18 wherein each of said at least one hinge comprises a cover portion affixed to said cover and a ring portion affixed to said ring and adapted to mate pivotally with said cover portion to allow said cover to move between said open and closed positions.

20. A box as in claim 17 wherein said ring comprises wall portions extending substantially normal to the wall surface so as to define at least a portion of said extension chamber.

21. A box as in claim 20 wherein said cover is pivotally connected to said ring by at least one hinge.

22. A box as in claim 21 wherein each of said at least one hinge comprises a cover portion affixed to said cover and a ring portion affixed to said ring and adapted to mate pivotally with said cover portion to allow said cover to move between said open and closed positions.

23. A box as in claim 17 wherein an inner surface of said cover is spaced outwardly from said ring so as to define therebetween at least a portion of said extension chamber.

24. A box as in claim 23 wherein said cover is pivotally connected to said ring by at least one hinge.

25. A box as in claim 24 wherein each of said at least one hinge comprises a cover portion affixed to said cover and a ring portion affixed to said ring and adapted to mate pivotally with said cover portion to allow said cover to move between said open and closed positions.

26. A box as in claim 23 wherein said ring comprises wall portions extending substantially normal to the wall surface so as to define at least a portion of said extension chamber.

27. A box as in claim 26 wherein said cover is pivotally connected to said ring by at least one hinge.

28. A box as in claim 27 wherein each of said at least one hinge comprises a cover portion affixed to said cover and a ring portion affixed to said ring and adapted to mate pivotally with said cover portion to allow said cover to move between said open and closed positions.

29. A box as in claim 17 wherein said cover is pivotally connected to said ring by a plurality of hinges each comprising a hinge sleeve and a hinge pin received by said hinge sleeve, and wherein the length of at least one of said hinge pins is greater than at least one other said hinge pin.